Weekly News Roundup – 03/01/20

Zoning Articles proposed for Annual Town Meeting 2020 • Community Notice: Zoning Bylaw Public Hearing on Monday, March 9th 2020 • Super Tuesday is next week! • LIST: Who pays the highest taxes around MetroWest • Select Board Meeting – Actions Taken 02/25/20

Zoning Articles proposed for Annual Town Meeting 2020

Eight proposed zoning changes have been submitted into the 2020 annual town meeting warrant. The public hearing date of each is noted below.

Public participation is an integral part of the process. Comments may be voiced at the public hearing, and may also be sent via mail or email to the Board in advance of the hearing (jgelcich@hopkintonma.gov). In addition to the several Planning Board articles, there is 1 citizens’ petitions which proposes changes to the Zoning Bylaw.

PUBLIC HEARING – MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020 AT 7:30 P.M. AT THE HOPKINTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

View Details of Articles and Petition

Community Notice: Zoning Bylaw Public Hearing on Monday, March 9th 2020

The Planning Board of the Town of Hopkinton will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Zoning Bylaw and the Zoning Map on Monday, March 9, 2020 at 7:30 P.M. at the Hopkinton Public Library, Large Event Room, 13 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA.

View Details

Super Tuesday is next week!

If you wish to take a look at the ballot before heading to Super Tuesday, below is a link to the ballots for all parties.

View Ballots

LIST: Who pays the highest taxes around MetroWest

Hopkinton ranks fourth in our list of the highest average tax bill at $10,639.
Hopkinton’s tax rate is $16.82 per thousand.
Hopkinton’s average house value is $632,500.
The average tax bill amount has grown 34.6% since 2011.
Hopkinton is one of the communities in Massachusetts that has decided to apply local option of state law. FY2020 is the first year this can be added. The town grants residential exemptions or provide a special means tested exemption to seniors, so the average may vary slightly due to this.

https://www.wickedlocal.com/photogallery/WL/20200224/NEWS/224009991/PH/1

Select Board Meeting – Actions Taken 02/25/20

View Details
View Agenda Packet

CONSENT AGENDA

6.

i. MINUTES
The Select Board will consider approving Minutes of the January 30, 2020, February 4, 2020 and February 12, 2020 Select Board meetings.

ii. GIFTS
The Select Board will consider approving the following Gifts:

a. $2,500 from Unibank and $25,000 from Friends of Seniors for Nutrition and Wellness programs for the Senior Center;
b. $100 from the Women’s Club to support the purchase of books for the Children’s Room at the Hopkinton Public Library.

iii. PARADE PERMITS
The Select Board will consider approving Parade Permits for the following:

a. Application from Michael Laurence on behalf of the Faith Community Church, for its Annual Global 6K for Water Road Race, to be held on May 16, 2020 at 9 a.m. Expected number of participants is approximately 750.

Supporting Exhibits: Application and supporting documents; Permitting Team comments
(Pages 7-12 of Agenda Packet)

b. Application from Tim Richmond for the 14th Annual Max Performance Triathlons at Hopkinton State Park on Saturday, May 9, 2020 and Sunday, September 13, 2020. Expected number of participants is 500 and 600 respectively. No road closures are requested; only police details at key intersections as in the past.

Supporting Exhibits: Application and supporting documents; Permitting Team comments
(Pages 13-41 of Agenda Packet)

iv. TEMPORARY BANNER AND SANDWICH BOARD SIGN – HOPKINTON WOMEN’S CLUB

The Select Board will consider approving: 1) a 4’ x 40’ banner over Main Street from March 16, 2020 to March 30, 2020; and 2) a sandwich board sign in the West Main St. right of way, across from Ice House Pond near the “Welcome to Hopkinton” sign, in advance of a March 7, 2020 event. Zoning Bylaw Sec. 210-179.F requires Select Board approval for the sign in the West Main St. right of way (max. 20 sq. ft.), and Sec. 210-180.C requires Select Board approval for the banner (max. 180 sq. ft., max 14 days).

Watch Video ~3 minutes
The Select Board approved Consent Agenda items i, ii.b, iii.b, and iv. (4-0)
The Select Board approved Consent Agenda items ii.a and iii.a. (4-0)

6:55 PM SCHOOL COMMITTEE – ELMWOOD SCHOOL STATEMENT OF INTEREST

7. The Board of Selectmen will consider voting to authorize the Superintendent of Schools to submit to the Massachusetts School Building Authority the Elmwood School Statement of Interest.

Supporting Exhibits: Superintendent’s Memo; SOI Vote
(Pages 42-43 of Agenda Packet)

Watch Video ~3 minutes
The Select Board authorized the Superintendent of Schools to submit the Elmwood School Statement of Interest to the MSBA. (4-0)

7:00 PM HOPKINTON RUNNING CLUB – PARADE PERMIT/SPECIAL TEMPORARY ALCOHOL LICENSE

8. The Select Board will consider approving a Parade Permit and a Special Temporary Alcohol License application from Wayde Marshall, on behalf of the Hopkinton Running Club, for a 10K Road Race around Lake Whitehall on April 11, 2020 from 6 a.m. until 12 noon. (Alcohol at 10 a.m.) The Hopkin10K Race supports the Andy Welzel Scholarship fund and will begin and end at Victory Field. Alcohol will be supplied and served by TIPS certified servers from Startline Brewing Company. Tickets will be sold and exchanged for a beer after IDs are checked and wrist bands are attached.

Supporting Exhibits: Application and supporting documents; Permitting Team Comments
(Pages 44-58 of Agenda Packet)

Watch Video ~3 minutes
The Select Board approved a Parade Permit and a Special Temporary Alcohol License for the Hopkin10K Road Race on 4/11/2020. (4-0)

7:10 PM PROJECT JUST BECAUSE SPECIAL TEMPORARY ALCOHOL LICENSE

9. The Select Board will consider approving a Special Temporary Alcohol License Application from Colette Cronin, on behalf of Project Just Because, for the 4th Annual Shamrock Shindig Fundraiser, to be held on Thursday, March 12, 2020 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at St. John’s Parish Hall, 20 Church Street, Hopkinton. Estimated number of attendees is 100. Wine and beer will be donated for this event, in accordance with M.G.L. c. 138 §14. TIPS certified servers will serve the alcohol. A certificate of liability insurance has been received. Project Just Because is requesting a fee waiver for the application fee.

Supporting Exhibits: Application and supporting documents; Permitting Team Comments
(Pages 59-69 of Agenda Packet)

Watch Video ~3 minutes
The Select Board approved a Special Temporary Alcohol LIcense for the 4th Annual Shamrock Shindig on 3/12/2020. (4-0)
The Select Board approved an application fee waiver for Project Just Because, for the 4th Annual Shamrock Shindig. (4-0)

7:30 PM BOARD AND COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS

10. The Select Board will consider appointments to the following committees:

a. Sustainable Green Committee. Applications have been received from:
Peggy Barton, Renee Dean, Paul Gallagher, Amy Groves, Andrew Michael Hayes, Rebeka Hoffman, Meena Kaushik, Alison E. Leflore, Geoff Rowland and Donald Sutherland.
There are 16 vacancies; terms are for 1 year.
Supporting Exhibits: Applications; Sustainable Green Committee Charge
(Pages 70-107 of Agenda Packet)

b. Trail Coordination and Management Committee. The Conservation Commission has recommended the appointment of Jamie Wronka as its designee on the Trail Coordination and Management Committee. Ms. Wronka would move from an at-large position on the TCMC to the Conservation Commission representative position, and a vacancy will be created in the at-large position.
Supporting Exhibits: Recommendation by Conservation Commission
(Page 108 of Agenda Packet)

Watch Video ~3 minutes

The Select Board appointed Peggy Barton, Renee Dean, Paul Gallagher, Amy Groves, Andrew Michael Hayes, Rebeka Hoffman, Meena Kaushik, Alison E. Loflore, Geoff Rowland and Donald Sutherland to the Sustainable Green Committee, to terms expiring 6/30/2020. (4-0)
The Select Board appointed Jamie Wronka as the Conservation Commission representative on the Trail Coordination and Management Committee, to a term expiring 6/30/2021 (4-0)

8:30 PM 2020 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ARTICLES
13. The Select Board will finalize its own ATM articles, including a review of articles which propose the disposition of town owned land at 0 Hayward Street and 0 Princeton Road.
Supporting Exhibit: Memo re ATM Articles, Hayward St. & Princeton Rd. Lots
(Pages 135-144 of Agenda Packet)

Watch Video ~15 minutes

The Select Board withdrew an article from the 2020 Annual Town Meeting warrant, relative to the disposition of town-owned land at 0 Hayward Street. (4-0)
The Select Board withdrew an article from the 2020 Annual Town Meeting warrant, relative to the disposition of town-owned land at 0 Princeton Road. (4-0)

8:50 PM TOWN MANAGER REPORT
14.

a. Main Street Corridor Project Update: Town Manager will seek Select Board approval of the Offer Letter template for the easements and the total amount of compensation.
Supporting Exhibits: Town Manager Report for February 25, 2020; Draft Policy 
(Pages 145-154 of Agenda Packet)
Watch Video ~3 minutes

b. New Policy Review: Marijuana Testing Laboratories and Marijuana Research Facilities – Process and Host Community Agreement
Supporting Exhibits: Draft Policy -Marijuana Testing Laboratories and Marijuana Research Facilities – Process & Host Community Agreement
(Pages 155-161 of Agenda Packet)
Watch Video ~8 minutes

The Select Board approved the template of the Offer Letter with the option for donation, and authorized the Town Manager to send the Offer Letters to the affected property owners. (4-0)
The Select Board voted to establish that the aggregate amount of Just Compensation that will be offered to the affected property owners is $1,600,000. (4-0)
The Select Board approved the Marijuana Testing Laboratories and Marijuana Research Facilities – Process and Host Community Agreement Policy, as amended. (4-0)